Former Trongsa dzongda, wife and five others sentenced in land scam case

Nov 15, 2019

The former Trongsa Dzongda Lhap Dorji was convicted for 13 years for forgery, official misconduct and execution of documents by deception in the Trongsa’s land scam case yesterday. But he was given a concurrent prison term of five years.

A concurrent sentence is when a defendant serves all the sentences at the same time.

The Trongsa District Court also sentenced his wife Karma Tshethrim Dema and former Draagteng gup Tenzin to 15 years each in prison. But they will serve a concurrent prison term of six years each for forgery, solicitation and for influencing the witness.

Similarly, the former Drangpon Ugyen Tenzin was handed down an 18-month sentence for attempt to forgery. The court gave concurrent sentencing of 18 months each to former Surveyor Narayan Dangal and former Nubi Gup Phuntsho. The duo was actually convicted for two years six months and three years respectively. Another Surveyor, Kelzang Nima was sentenced to a year in prison.

However, the court acquitted former Nubi Gup Tashi Penden, former tshogpas, Wangchukla and Kinleyla for providing information to the Court against the other defendants. The court accepted and considered three of them as approvers.

The case concerns the illegal acquisition of 4.73 acres of land at Thumgang under Nubi Gewog in Trongsa by Karma Tshetim Dolma. It also involves the illegal acquisition of another 2.77 acres of land in Taktse.

The case came under Anti-Corruption Commission’s scanner in 2011 after the landowner Gyalmo from Taktse lodged a complaint to the ACC stating that she did not sell the land to Karma Tshetim Dolma.

The incident took place between 2005 to 2006 when the land acquisition from Taktse, Eusa and Tashidingkha village happened for the establishment of the Institute of Language and Cultural Studies.

Passang